Word Origin & History

"pointed stick or post," Old English staca, from Proto-Germanic *stakon (cf. Old Norse stiaki, Dutch staak, German stake), from PIE root *steg- "pole, stick." The Germanic word has been borrowed in Spanish (estaca), Old French (estaque), and Italian stacca) and was borrowed back as attach. Meaning "post upon which persons were bound for death by burning" is recorded from c.1200. Stake-body as a type of truck is attested from 1907. In pull up stakes, "The allusion is to pulling up the stakes of a tent" [Bartlett].

Example Sentences for pull up stakes

It is difficult, however, for the farmer to "pull up stakes" and move.

Tomorrow we'll pull up stakes and see what is in the next valley.

I guess Uncle Si and I will have to pull up stakes or starve.

He had no wish to pull up stakes again and begin life afresh, though he was only forty, and he had plenty of initiative left.

So nothing was left for us but to pull up stakes and wend our weary way back to Carson.

Slavery grew blacker and blacker, until he resolved to "pull up stakes" upon a venture.

Will took the ponies on the double-quick back to camp, and the trappers decided to pull up stakes at once.

By March, 1806, they were ready to pull up stakes and begin the long homeward journey.

Now, if Jingoss just thinks we're coming some time, and not to-morrow, he ain't going to pull up stakes in such a hell of a hurry.

But Donald has agreed that we pull up stakes here tomorrow some time, and make a start for home.